


Impairment

by Hohlagh



Series: Team Bonding [1]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Bonding, Deaf Clint Barton, Gen, Post-Avengers (2012), Pre-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-09 13:52:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7804354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hohlagh/pseuds/Hohlagh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I didn't know you guys knew Sign Language." Steve started.<br/>"I'm mostly deaf." Clint revealed.<br/>Steve was amazed. "I had no idea..." He wondered how he had never known or realized that Clint was mostly deaf or wore hearing aids.</p><p>---</p><p>Or: A short team bonding fic where Steve learns something about Clint and vice versa.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Impairment

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first of many fanfics that I'm planning to write about the Avengers actually bonding. I hope you all like it. I would love to hear any comments you might have and appreciate constructive criticism.

**Impairment**

By: Hohlagh

 

Steve was surprised when he saw Clint using Sign Language on one of their rare missions together for some reason. It had been meant for Natasha (and he was equally shocked that she seemed to know it as well), but he understood. He remembered learning Sign Language as a kid after a serious ear infection had left him partially deaf. He had even taught the words to Bucky so that they could have their own private wordless conversations, which had been nice... Although thinking about Bucky left a sour taste in his mouth so he quickly pushed the memories aside as he focused on the job. The only thing that Steve could really do with the new information was file it away until he could bring it up later.

The three of them boarded the Quinjet once they were done and they all settled in for the flight home, which was the perfect time to voice his observations: “I didn't know you guys knew Sign Language.” Steve started.

The two Agents looked at each other in astonishment. Clint rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I'm mostly deaf.” The archer revealed.

Steve was amazed. “I had no idea.”

“Yeah... It's not something I like to advertise.” Clint replied. “I wear hearing aids, but I learned Sign Language as a 'just in case' measure... I taught Natasha when we became partners after I brought her over. How do you know it?”

“I got an ear infection as a kid and my ear never recovered so I was partially deaf and I was taught some Sign Language by one of the Sisters at my church. I never really learned it fully until later on though, after they took me out of the ice. I have a lot of free time on my hands aside from this so I figured I might as well brush up on it.” Steve said before shrugging his shoulders slightly.

“Smart move.” Clint told him.

They fell silent for a while. Steve glanced out one of the windows and watched the clouds roll by. It occurred to him then that he really didn't know much about any of his fellow teammates. He pursed his lips briefly. He wondered how he had never known or realized that Clint was mostly deaf or wore hearing aids. He sighed softly.

“Spill it, Steve.” Natasha quipped.

Steve raised his head and smiled ruefully. “It just occurred to me that I really haven't gotten to know either of you. I know there's probably things that you don't want to tell me or can't and I understand that, but...”

“I wasn't always mostly deaf.” Clint interjected immediately, as if reading Steve's thoughts. “I mean I didn't need hearing aids back when I was younger, but I still had trouble making out lower sounds like whispers and such. I learned how to read lips too, which helped a lot. My hearing has never been quite complete, but it wasn't too bad.”

“There was an explosion in Budapest and Clint was too close to the blast...” Natasha continued, picking up the story easily. “His hearing has never been the same since.”

Steve nodded slowly. He didn't know what to say. He had never really expected either of them to be so candid, but they had been working together for a while now so maybe it made sense. “Does anyone else know?” He asked instead.

“Well a few people do. Fury, Hill... Coulson did...” There was a moment of silent respect for Agent Coulson. “But if you're talking about the other Avengers then the answer is no. It's just you and Natasha now.”

“I know we all don't always work together and that the chances of that happening again are pretty slim, but if something ever does come up again then I think you should tell them.” Steve said, trying to sound reasonable. “Just in case.”

Clint nodded. “Yeah... you're probably right... It just hasn't been important and everything happened so fast last time.”

Steve chuckled softly. They fell silent again, but the air around them felt more companionable somehow. Of course Steve had other questions; however, he wasn't the type to pry and he had done enough of that for one day so he let them slide into the back of his mind.

FIN


End file.
